Four-set win leads UHSP to season sweep over Clarke

DUBUQUE, IA – The Eutectics earned a sweep of the season series with Clarke as UHSP opened their final regular season road trip with a four-set win over the Pride, 25-19, 25-22, 24-26, 25-17. The Eutectics have won three straight over Clarke and the all-time series is now split at 4-4.

The Purple and Gold saw three attackers finish with double-digit kills and were dominant at the net in the three sets they won, connecting at and attack percentage of .320 or better in those three. UHSP had an attack percentage of -.143 in the third set.

UHSP wasted no time in grabbing a 4-0 lead behind three errors from Clarke. Grant Hoover notched a pair of kills, Marcus Parker added another and Dickson Colado added an ace as the lead grew to 12-4. It was 18-10 when the Pride battled to close the gap to 18-14 thanks to an ace and three UHSP errors, but the visitors took seven of the next dozen points to take the opener in a set that featured 12 combined hitting errors between the two clubs.

The second set was a much tighter as it was tied 15 different times, lastly at 21-21. Colado and Grant Hoover each pounded four kills through the first 42 combined points, but it was Cooper Hansen that notched a kill late to give UHSP a 22-21 lead followed by an attack error from Clarke to make the lead two. Following a timeout by the Pride, USHP committed a hitting error to see Clarke close to 23-22, but Cole Cwiklowski put one to the floor off an assist from Grant Hoover and then Cwiklowski served the final point as UHSP won the set by three.

Set three followed much the same theme as the prior set as neither team was able to build a comfortable lead as the set was tied at each of the first eight possible junctures. It was a sloppy set as there was a stretch of nine consecutive points recorded by the two clubs off of hitting errors, five of those off of service errors. Clarke made a 6-1 run to take a 13-9 lead with the only two earned points in that stretch coming off an ace and a Zachary Barr kill. The Purple and Gold responded though as their veteran Cwiklowski assisted on seven different kills, three from Hoover and Cameron Werner and another from Hansen as the Eutectics won 15 of the next 23 points and sat on match point leading 24-21. Throughout the season, UHSP has been able to rally late from deficits such as that, but do not usually give up those leads. This set was a rare instance where they were not able to close the show with three match points, but it was not for lack of trying. Anthony Ramirez landed a kill to make it 24-22, but then it was Hoover, Colado, Hoover and Colado again all misfiring on attack efforts that instead of sealing the match, saw the Pride claim a 26-24 set and force a fourth set.

The fourth was tied at 5-5 when Hansen was successful on two attacks and Colado added another to make it 8-5. After a Hoover error, it was Parker and Hansen to get kills around a Pride error and UHSP had the Pride doubled up at 12-6. Kainoa Gerard had a kill for Clarke but the Eutectics took four straight and six of the next seven and it was 18-8. The Eutectics were able to rely on that large cushion and only needed to trade virtually point for point the rest of the way with Hansen earning UHSP's final three points with kills to seal the four-set win.

Grant Hoover led the Eutectics with 13 kills but Cooper Hansen added 11 and Dickson Colado had ten. Hansen had the more efficient night out of that trio committing just three errors in 20 attempts for an attack percentage of .400. Marcus Parker set the pace for efficiency connecting for five kills on six attempts with one error for a hitting percentage of .667. Colado added 10 digs for a double-double on the night while Cole Cwiklowski recorded 45 assists. Clarke did not have anyone record double-figures in kills and swung at just .107 on the night.

A record-setting season for the Eutectics added yet another win to run their record to 18-12 and now 6-10 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. UHSP plays their final regular-season road contest on Saturday afternoon against a Mount Mercy (24-6, 11-6) club that re-enters the NAIA Top-15 in the most recently released poll as the Mustangs are ranked #15 in the nation. Opening serve is at 2:00p from the Hennessey Rec Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.